Monster Librarian“Burke and Burdge have curated a great selection of stories in this anthology. It contains nineteen urban horror stories set in New York City that take place in a variety of time periods. They explore the dark side of humanity and the supernatural, all framed in the five boroughs of this fascinating city.”

“Everything from ghosts and shadow people to unnamed things lurk in these pages, some seem inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, and others are vague and mysterious in their own right…. it was Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft, Mary Shelly and Bram Stoker that inspired my art and love for all dark things and the fiction contained here ranked pretty close to the level of what I would call a modern tribute to the horror genre inspired by the Romantic and Victorian authors of old. If you are looking for chilling tales to read before bed to inspire either your own spooky creations or just love to be scared, then Dark Tales from Elder Regions is the perfect book to add to your library.”

—Corvis Nocturnum (E.R. Vernor) author of: Allure Of The Vampire; Our Sexual Attraction To The Undead, and most recently, Zombie Nation; From Folklore to Modern Frenzy.

“If you love New York City in all its shapes and guises (and who doesn’t?) and are a fan of well-crafted horror fiction of every variety, you’ll relish the new Myth Ink Books collection of 20 vividly weird stories all set in The Big Apple, Dark Tales from Elder Regions: New York. These highly inventive tales tap into the city’s luridly storied past as well as the gritty opulence of its present and are rich in historical detail and cultural nuance. It’s almost like a trip to NYC and far cheaper than an airline ticket. So grab your reading glasses, pack your carry on bag, and get ready for some delicious shudders, cheap thrills, and heady visions in the city that puts the Gothic into Gotham, with this fine selection of stories that bring chilling nightmares to the city that never sleeps.” —David Barker, author (with W. H. Pugmire) of The Revenant of Rebecca Pascal

“Dark Tales From the Elder Regions: New York is an anthology book that will give you goosebumps and make your inner child go in the fetal position more than once when you’re reading it. … Dark Tales is not the kind of ‘in your face’ horror that tells details of blood letting and gore. It permeates your mind little by little and you find yourself thinking of that creature in the tunnels out of the blue long after you’ve read the story. The words will capture your attention, but the stories themselves will sneak up behind you and slit your throat. And these authors are seriously, creepily great at building a scene and delivering in unexpected ways.” —Dave Royce, Horror Cabin

Cover Illustrated by Luke Spooner

“This charming book is a …delightful celebration of that delicious state of being called ‘Lovecraftian.’ …this duo can write, with excellent effect….” —W. H. Pugmire

THE FRIENDLY HORROR AND OTHER WEIRD TALES:

“Hungry Snow,” “Keepsakes,” and “Concerning the Storm” provide a solid core for the collection—stories whose titles lead inevitably into anatomies of horror—drawing them out to their graphic, highly uncomfortable conclusions—aptly preparing the way for the pièce de résistance, the eponymous concluding tale, “The Friendly Horror.”Michael R. CollingsClick to Read More

“I do not often think of horror as being friendly. Jessica Burke and Anthony Burdge have shown me the error of my ways with The Friendly Horror & Other Weird Tales. They have taught me that it is possible to feel the creeping dread of cosmic horror with a smile on my face…. This wide assortment of tales invites you in with a kind smile and a gentle nudge and, like with a friend or partner you trust implicitly, you invariably walk hand-in-hand through the darkness. However, you soon realize that the person holding your hand isn’t who you thought they were… but by then it’s far too late, and far too dark, to turn back.”
—Clint Hale, The Dark of Things

“The Friendly Horror” is an epic-length short story, almost bordering on novella, yet it is a swift and engrossing read. The intertwining of local Staten Island history into the Lovecraft mythos is an ingenious touch — reading it, you quickly become aware that you are miles away from pastiche or standard Cthulhu fan fic. The story is stuffed full of in-jokes of both the literary and the historical kind, yet it never feels as though the authors are showing off or shoehorning it in. Rather, it feels like the loving work of ardent fans, widely read and well versed in their obsessions, who are evidently taking as much delight in the proceedings as their readers.

The Friendly Horror as a stand alone story in this book really completed this collection. The Friendly Horror is a collection of Lovecraft inspired tales eloquently written with an unmistakable passion and voice for the genre. I really enjoy this duos writing style and their ability to keep a very strong Lovecraft voice in all that they write with a modern relatable tone.

“These scholars combine to produce a thoughtful and thought-provoking read, one which raises and answers many questions and also prompts a variety of further topics for discussion.” Reviewed by Hugh H. Davis

“Gaiman’s creative output and its engagement in myth-making are the subject of a wide-ranging and impressive collection, The Mythological Dimensions of Neil Gaiman, jointly edited by Anthony Burdge, Jessica Burke, and Kristine Larsen. This anthology offers fifteen erudite essays which begin to explore the prismatic story-telling of Neil Gaiman.”

[This review originally appeared in Mythprint 49:6-7 (#359-360) in June-July 2012.]